On the photochemical decomposition of aromatic α-azohydroperoxides

✍ Scribed by Júlia Vágó; Laszlo Biczók; Gottfried Grabner; Gottfried Köhler; Ruth M. Quint; Nikola Getoff

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 916 KB
• Volume: 76
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1010-6030
• DOI: 10.1016/1010-6030(93)80175-9

✦ Synopsis

The photochemistry of some a-azohydroperoxides (phenyl(phenylazo)methyl hydroperoxide and its hatogenated derivatives) was investigated in various solvents by microsecond and nanosecond flash photolysis methods and steady state product analysis. Photodecomposition of the molecule, demonstrated by the formation of benzaldehyde, is a major, but not the only, photochemical pathway. Investigation of the influence of solvent and substitution on the photoinduced transients provides strong evidence for alternative photoreactions. One of the species produced by flash photolysis was studied in detail and assigned to a transient zwitterion formed from the aazohydroperoxide by proton transfer via an excited state pathway. Semiempirical calculations add further support to the proposed mechanism.